Base mountings for antenna masts



y 8, 1956- w. H. JOHNSON 2,744,704

' BASE MOUNTINGS FOR ANTENNA MASTS Filed June 5, 1951 i (444,4651QJ0HN50N I gwuc/wfo a BASE MOUNTINGS FOR ANTENNA MASTS Wallace H.Johnson, Toledo, Ohio 7 Application June 5, 1951, Serial No. 229,929

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-45) This invention relates to base anchorage foruprights, more particularly as guy-supported upwardly from the base,even to the extent of the upright being readily angularly seatable orturnable.

This invention has utility when incorporated in bases or directionalsupport mountings for masts, such as for the erection of antenna on roofgables of buildings, with angular range for selection of radio broadcastbeams and channels.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partially diagrammatic showing of the employment ofdifferent types of bases according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, with parts broken away, ofa base or mounting in which the turning of the mast mounted thereon isby a horizontal swingable arm.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in the region of the line III-III of Fig. 2,showing the torsion spring recovery element and the pivot for theactuating lever arm;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IVIV of Fig. 2, showing the clampconnection of the mast to the toothed element or pinion bearing seatedin the roof mounting or base of the embodiment shown at the left of Fig.l; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the mounting provided with an actuator leverswingable in a vertical plane, being the disclosure at the right in Fig.1; while Fig. 2 is of the embodiment at the left in Fig. 1.

A dwelling 1 is shown provided with a roof 2. Upwardly therefrom extendmasts 3 carrying antenna 4, 5. From swivels 6 on the masts 3 and spacedupwardly from the roof 2, extend guy wires 7, stabilizing the up wardextent of the masts.

Screws 8 anchor to the roof 2 flare sides 9 diverging from flat topregion 10 of the roof gable saddle or base. Centrally of the width ofthe region 10 and spaced apart therealong are bearings 11, 12. Atrunnion or boss 13 coaxial with a pinion gear 14 is adapted to registerin the bearing 12. A weld 15 anchors the pinion 14 centrally to theunder side of a plate 16 having integral therewith a riser flange 17forming one side for a clamp, with the upper side of the plate 16forming a rest or support for the mast 3. Bolts 18 adjust a V-plate orclamp element 19 in opposition to the flange 17 in firmly assembling themast 3 on the mount. This assembly for the mast in connection with theguys may complete the mounting, in which the trunnion or boss 13 locatesthe plate 16, and thru the clamp the mast 3, in proper upstandingposition as to the roof engaging saddle or mounting 9, 10. The weight ofthe mast 3 is taken by the bearing 12, and provides the connection anddisconnection of the mast to the roof mounting or saddle 9, 10.

For angular rotation and angularity locking of the mast by remotecontrol to efiect nicety for selection or direction for reception, inthe bearing 11 may be of a toothed or gear segment 20 having an arm orlever exnited States PatentO tension 21. The segment 20 is of sufficientradius as to the pinion 14 and the spacing of the bearings 11, 12, forproper meshing of the pinion 14 with the segment 20.

Fixed with the segment 20 is a pivot stem 22 (see Fig. 3) in the bearing11. The stem 22 protrudes to the underside of the saddle top region 10and there has a slot 23 in which end 24 of a spiral torsion spring 25 isengaged. The spring 25 has wraps about the stem 22 with an end 26 at aport 27 in the saddle flare side 9. As shown in Fig. 2, there is thus acounterclockwise turning or recover as normal for the segment 20 (seedotted line showing in Fig. 2). The lever 21 serves as a stop forlimiting this free turning of the segment as to the pinion 14, as thelever 21 rides against the pinion 14. In the event of reverse pulling orswinging of the lever 21, there is an ofli'set tooth region 28 to rideagainst the junction of the flange 17 with the plate 16, thus providingan angular limit stop in this direction for the segment 20.

A flexible line 29 from the free end of the lever 21 desirably extendsin a horizontal direction along the roof gable over a guide roller 30(Fig. 1) and thence down, say to enter the dwelling thru an opening in awindow sash, for an end knob 31 to be pulled to a selected stop 32,thereby providing holding of the segment at the selected turn positionfor the mast 3. This holding is against the pull of the torsion spring25. The strain from this spring is suflicient to hold the mast 3 fromangular vibration.

In this set-up, it is to be noted that the plate 16 providesWeather-shield for the mesh register of the segment 20 with the pinion14. Furthermore, the turning location for actuation is directly at thebearing 12, thereby being unafiected by wind strains, because directlyat the base mounting. Accordingly there is no binding or locking topreclude shifting of the mast at any time to effect the radio beamsetting. The torsion spring 25 eliminates any play or looseness.

In another embodiment the mounting 9, 10, instead of having the bearing11, is shown with a bearing 33 (Fig. 5) near the lower edge of a flareside 9, there to pivotally mount a segment gear 34 with a lever arm 35therefrom to a pull line 36. The teeth of the segment 34 are in meshwith a crown toothed or gear element 37, in lieu of the normally lesserdiameter pinion 14. There is weathershed protection here as to themeshing assembly, for the element 37 is in overhang relation as to thein-mesh region of the segment 34.

The swinging of the arm 35 is in a vertical plane. With the locationthereof to extend outward from the gable end of the roof 2, the pullline 36 may have its end 38 engage different catches 39 (see Fig. 1) inproximity toa window 40. There is thus a simplified installation, inwhich the sole building connections are of the guys 7 and'the baseflares 9.

It is to be noted that the amount of rotation range turning extent forthe mast is considerably in excess of the normally used adjustmentrange. Thus the lever arm 21, or 35, may be located in an advantageouspull direction. Supplementally, the mean sought-for direction for theantenna may be selected by merely lifting the mast and then dropping theboss or trunnion 13 from the toothed element 14, or 37, into the bearing12. As the mast load comes down on this resetting for the mast, therefollows directly the meshing assembly of the teeth of the angularityactuator means in the desired mean direction for beam reception. Theseare features, not only of simplicity for initial installation, butenabling ready adjustability to meet changed operating conditions. Themoving parts are a minimum. There is adequate factor of strength andsafety in the Operation is Patent is:

A rotatable mounting for the mast of a directional antenna, comprising:a. stationary base having a horizontal flat portion, two spaced bearingapertures in ,said base, a thrust bearing mounted in one of saidapertures in said fiat portion, a horizontal plate having a trunnionextending from its lower sideand journaled in said thrust bearing, a,gear mounted on said trunnion fixed to saidplate, a clamp for the end ofa mast mounted on the upper side of said plate, a sector gear journaledin the other bearing aperture in said base meshing With said gearon saidtrunnion, a lever fixed to said sector 15 2 583 210 gear for rotating itthrough part of a circle to rotate said plate, coiled spring meansacting between said sector gear and said base for normally urging saidplate to an extreme position, and means connected to said lever from aremote point for operating said lever to rotate said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS626,514 Wagner June 6, 1899 1,372,777 Samuel Mar. 29, 1921 1,711,510Webb May 7, 1929 1,744,548 Hershey Jan. 21, 1930 1,903,811 Gebhard et a1Apr. 18, 1933 2,005,293 Harris June 18, 1935 2,460,401 Southworth Feb.1, 1949 2,545,003 Miller Mar. 13, 1951 Edwards Jan. 22, 1952

